Love on Stage

by Neil Plakcy

  They joined the women in the green room, waiting for their cue, and as soon as they arrived, Miles stepped up. “You guys are going to rock the house,” he said. “Take it from me. I’ve been listening to you, and I know just how good you are.”

  A stagehand adjusted their lavalier microphones, and then another opened the door to the green room and called, “Singing Sweethearts, you’re on.”

  The curtain was down, and the grannies were led to their places in the center of the stage. The three rockers were behind them. They clustered around the standing mike, just as they had in the old days. Gavin, Archie, and Erica sat at their feet.

  The lights went down, the curtain went up, and the apple orchard photo appeared behind them. When Grandma Frances sang the first notes of “Apple Cider Time,” the audience went wild with applause.

  Gavin joined her on the second line, and the rest of the song flowed as easily as it had back home, Erica and Aunt Ida going high, Aunt Myrtle and Archie going low. When the song ended, the audience erupted once again in applause.

  Gavin, Archie, and Erica stood up. Each offered an arm to a granny, and they walked them back to the rocking chairs. Archie grabbed the standing mike, moved it offstage, and then joined Gavin and Erica in a loose semi-circle behind the grannies.

  Gavin jumped into “Down in the Valley.” He was a bar ahead of the music, but everybody followed him, the grannies joining in at the chorus. Gavin glanced offstage as he sang the last line, “Angels in heaven know I love you,” but couldn’t see Miles against the glare of the lights.

  After another round of applause, they swung into “Milking the Cows,” the grannies rocking and smiling as Archie, Gavin, and Erica sang. Everything was working, from Erica’s high runs to Archie’s beat-boxing, and by the time they sang the last notes, Gavin was flushed with excitement.

  The crowd didn’t want to let them go, though. They jumped to their feet, stamping and calling, “Encore!”

  They had only practiced the three songs, and Gavin felt lost, like a deer in the headlights on a dark Wisconsin farm road. He was paralyzed until he heard Archie launch into the first notes of “I’m Yours.” Without thinking, Gavin joined him and Erica. The grannies were true musicians; though Gavin doubted they knew the song, they came in at the chorus.

  When the song was over, before the crowd could demand anything else, Gavin turned to Grandma Frances and offered her his hand. She stood, along with her sisters, the six of them bowed to the audience, and then the curtain fell.

  The stagehands rushed forward, removing the rocking chairs and setting up for the next act, as Gavin stumbled off-stage with his family.

  “That was awesome!” Miles said as they reached him. He hugged Gavin, then turned immediately to Erica.

  Gavin was disappointed as he watched Miles hug and kiss the rest of the family. Yeah, it had been a group effort, but shouldn’t Miles have had something more for him?

  The parents were all in the audience, so Gavin didn’t get to hear what they thought until the end of the concert, when they all went outside. It was hard to find the family, though, because people kept coming up to them to compliment them and ask if they were going to start recording again.

  The grannies basked in the glory, though Archie, Gavin, and Erica were shy, thanking people but saying they had no future plans. Gavin kept looking around for Miles, but Miles had disappeared somewhere and didn’t show up until the celebratory dinner. They gathered around a long table, everyone talking and laughing, and Gavin felt like he was flying. He kept exchanging glances with Miles, the kind of looks that made him shiver and made his dick jump.

  It was late by the time the five of them made their way back to the motel.

  “Where do the parents think you’re sleeping tonight?” Erica asked Mary Anne.

  “Uncle Richard offered to pay for a room at the motel, but Mary Anne said she had a friend she was going to stay with,” Archie said. “I’m not sure he believed her, but nobody’s said anything.”

  “I’d better get to bed,” Erica said. “Grandma Ida is probably waiting up for me.”

  The other two grannies were sharing a room next door to them. Archie and Gavin’s room was at the other end of the hotel, as was the one Miles was supposed to have for his own. The four of them walked down along the exterior of the motel, Archie and Mary Anne holding hands. Though it was Wisconsin, Gavin reached out, took Miles’s hand in his own, and squeezed. Miles looked over at him and smiled.

  Archie and Mary Anne went into their room, and Miles stopped at the door of his. He pulled the card key from his pocket and slid it through the slot. He opened the door, ushering Gavin ahead of him. The drapes in front of the sliding glass doors were open, and the room was filled with silvery moonlight.

  Miles shut the door softly behind him, and Gavin turned to face him. “You were awesome tonight,” Miles said.

  “The night hasn’t even gotten started yet,” Gavin said.

  Miles poked him. “That’s not what I meant, and you know it. You have real star power. When I was listening to you, I couldn’t believe you weren’t already an established musician.”

  “I couldn’t have gotten up on that stage without you showing me what to do.” He kissed Miles. “We make a good team.”

  “We sure do,” Miles said. He began to unbutton Gavin’s shirt. “I’m not sure whether I prefer you in T-shirts or button-downs. It’s quicker to get you out of a T, but I kind of like taking my time unbuttoning.”

  When he had Gavin’s shirt partially open, he leaned in and bit at Gavin’s nipple, and Gavin groaned with pleasure. He ran his hands through Miles’s dark hair and focused on the electric sensations running through his body.

  Miles moved to the other nipple, and Gavin unbuttoned his shirt the rest of the way and shucked it off. Then he gently lifted Miles up by his shoulders and undid his shirt.

  From then on, it was a race to see who could get naked first. Gavin won; he had the most experience. They jumped onto the bed together and rolled around, wrestling, rubbing against each other, making the headboard bang against the wall.

  “Should we be quieter?” Miles gasped.

  “Who cares? We’re in a hotel. We’re leaving tomorrow and never coming back.”

  “You’re right,” Miles said. He lifted Gavin’s legs and dove down to suck his cock, then lick his balls. He kept pushing Gavin backward so he could tongue his hole.

  Gavin knew that things were never going to be the same—either with Miles or with the rest of his life. So he was determined to get the most out of the evening. He and Miles tried different positions, holding back climaxes to maximize pleasure.

  “I think we’ve gone through about half of the Kama Sutra,” Miles panted after a half hour or more.

  “Then we’ve still got half a book to go,” Gavin said.

  When Gavin couldn’t hold back anymore, he squirmed around so that he and Miles could suck each other. He buried his face in Miles’s crotch and used every trick he knew to bring Miles to a climax he’d never forget.

  Miles seemed determined to do the same thing to Gavin. Gavin felt his nuts pull in tight, and then the force of his orgasm rocked his body from his head to the tips of his toes. Miles came at almost the same moment and with what appeared to be the same force.

  They were both left gasping, neither of them able to move for a moment. Then Gavin climbed back up to face Miles. “I love you, Miles Goodwin,” he said, though he hadn’t planned to say it.

  Miles opened his mouth to say something—but yawned instead.

  Gavin reared back. “Am I boring you?”

  “Never, mi amor,” Miles said, pulling him back down. “Te amo. Te amo mucho.” Then he added, “In case your Spanish doesn’t extend that far, I love you too.”

  He put his arm around Gavin’s shoulders. Gavin turned and nestled into him, and all the adrenaline drained from his body, and he slept.

  Star Power

  When Gavin woke, he was under the covers and
Miles was sleeping next to him. How had they gotten there? The last he remembered was being on top of the covers with Miles’s arm around him.

  He turned on one elbow and surveyed Miles beside him. Miles wasn’t conventionally handsome; his face was round, and stray hairs sprouted on his cheeks when he didn’t shave carefully enough. With his eyelids closed, Gavin couldn’t see those mesmerizing aquamarine eyes. But just the sight of Miles sleeping there was enough to cause his heart to race and his dick to rise.

  He stumbled out of bed and used the bathroom. When he returned, Miles was awake and yawning.

  “What time is it?” Miles asked.

  Gavin glanced at the clock. “Seven thirty.”

  Miles groaned. “Too early to be up.”

  Gavin jumped into bed next to him. “Even too early for this?” He leaned over and kissed Miles on the lips.

  “Never too early for that,” Miles said when he could speak again. He reached down below the covers and grasped Gavin’s dick, which was hard again. “You really are a morning person, aren’t you?”

  “I didn’t use to be. But all those early shifts at Java Joe’s, and all that coffee. It changed me.”

  “Hmm… I like you the way you are now.” He wrapped an arm around Gavin’s shoulders and pulled him close, and they fell back asleep.

  They were roused by a knocking on the door. “Wake up, sleepyheads,” Archie said. “We’re due at breakfast.”

  Gavin looked groggily at the clock. It was nearly ten. He grabbed a bathrobe and went to the door. Archie and Mary Anne stood there dressed in their Sunday best.

  “Come on, dude. We’ll be late.”

  “You guys go ahead. We’ll be right behind you.”

  Archie shook his finger at Gavin and said, “No more nookie!”

  Gavin shoved the door closed on him. “You can sleep in if you want,” he said. “I’ve got to go to breakfast.”

  Miles yawned. “No, I’ll get up and go with you.”

  “Dibs on the shower.” Gavin dropped his robe on a chair and loped into the bathroom. He’d just gotten the water warm and begun to soap his body when Miles opened the door and stepped in beside him. It was a tight fit, but they made it work, lathering each other and then rinsing. Gavin’s dick rose again, but he knew they had to keep moving.

  They walked down to the hotel restaurant, and as he reached the door, he grabbed Miles’s hand and they walked in together. No more need to hide, from anyone.

  They were the last to slide in at the end of a long table, and everyone was chattering about the performance the night before and all the compliments they had received.

  Grandma Frances tapped her fork against her water glass, and everyone quieted. “I think I speak for my sisters when I say we couldn’t have imagined a better closing for our career. And we owe it to Gavin, Erica, and Archie, and of course Miles. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”

  “Hear, hear,” Aunt Myrtle said, and everyone clapped.

  The first group to break away were Erica and her parents, who were taking her and Aunt Ida back to Starlit Lake to pick up their belongings, then delivering Erica to Madison to start her grad school program. There was a flurry of kisses and hugs, and Archie took that opportunity to say that he’d already packed his stuff and he and Mary Anne were going to head back to Chippewa Falls.

  Archie’s parents said they’d walk Archie and Mary Anne out to the parking lot, and Aunt Myrtle followed.

  That left Gavin, his parents, Miles, and Grandma Frances at the table. Gavin’s father turned to Miles. “Now that everyone else is gone, I have something to ask you, Miles.”

  Gavin felt his heart take a nose dive. What could his father possibly ask Miles at this point? Was he upset that Gavin and Miles had spent the night together? Why would that matter, now that the concert was over?

  Miles put his fork down. “Yes, Richard?”

  “Do you think there’s enough residual talent in this family to record again?”

  “Absolutely,” Miles said. “But as you know, the music business is very finicky. I have a couple of feelers out to people I know. Once I get back to Miami, I’ll see what’s what, and I’ll have a better answer for you then.”

  “Fair enough,” Richard said.

  “Thanks for everything, Dad,” Gavin said. “What do you want me to do with the loaner car?”

  “Give me the keys,” Gavin’s mother said. “I’ll drive it back to Eau Claire for you.”

  “Your mother is a sly one,” his father said to him. “This way she gets out of taking your grandmother up to the lake to pick up her belongings.”

  “Just giving you some mother-son bonding time,” his mother said and then smiled. “Remember that, Gavin. Even big boys need to spend some time with their moms.”

  “You’ll never have to worry about that with me, Mom.” Gavin leaned over and kissed her cheek. “But I have to inspect the car first before I return it.”

  His dad laughed. “I trained you too well, my boy. Come on. Let’s look at that car together.”

  He paid the bill, and Gavin’s mom left with Grandma Frances to get her luggage while the men walked out to the parking lot and Gavin and his father looked over the car together. “Not a mark that wasn’t there when I gave it to you,” his dad said approvingly when they were finished. “You’re really growing up.” He looked over at Miles, then back at Gavin. “I trust you can make your way back with Miles?”

  “I’ll make sure he doesn’t get into trouble,” Miles said.

  His father raised an eyebrow. “Do you know my nickname for Gavin?”

  Miles smiled and began to sing, “Carry on my wayward son, there’ll be peace when you are done.”

  His father laughed. “As long as you know what you’re getting into.”

  Gavin hugged his father good-bye, his dad and Miles shook hands, and then Gavin and Miles walked back to the motel room slowly. It was a gorgeous day, sunny and cloudless, temps in the low seventies.

  “You said something about a boat ride,” Miles said.

  “Down the river,” Gavin said. “You want to go?”

  “I’m in no rush to get back. I’m not leaving for Miami till tomorrow morning.”

  “Then I see another boat ride in our future. This one without oars.” Gavin used his cell phone to find the time of the next run and booked two tickets.

  There was a ton of summer traffic on the local roads through the Dells, everyone enjoying the holiday weekend, and it took a long time to get to the pier where the boat was docked. Gavin wanted to ask Miles more about what his father had mentioned—the possibility of the Sweethearts becoming a recording act—but he knew he wouldn’t get any more from Miles than his father had.

  By the time they parked, they had to run through the lot and managed to jump on the long, low boat at the last minute. They made their way up to the pointed bow and leaned against the railing.

  “I can see why people like Wisconsin,” Miles said. “It’s so beautiful.”

  With a whistle, the boat left the dock and moved forward slowly through the placid green water.

  “You wouldn’t like it so much in the winter,” Gavin said. “Too much snow and ice. I remember growing up in Eau Claire and having to plod through snow drifts to get to the school bus stop. The snow would get down my collar and in my boots, and I’d be soaked through by the time we got to school.”

  “Change that to heat and sweat, and you’ve got Miami,” Miles said.

  The boat hit a piece of rough water, and he lost his balance, grabbing for Gavin’s hand to steady himself. Gavin liked the pressure of Miles’s hand in his and wouldn’t let go once the boat was moving smoothly again.

  The sandstone rock formations were impressive, and in the narrow parts of the river, where the tall trees leaned together to form an arch, it felt almost like being in church.

  “You’re probably going to be really busy once we get back to Miami,” Gavin began.

  “I already have projects queued u
p,” Miles said. “But I can’t work every minute of every day. We’ll see each other.”

  “It won’t be the same, though. Not like having you in the same house, seeing you and working with you all day long.”

  “I think it will be good for both of us to have some time on our own again,” Miles said. “These last couple of weeks have been like living in a terrarium. Amazing, but artificial. We need to be sure we can be together when the rest of the world is around.”

  “Do you think we can do that?”

  “We can sure as hell try,” Miles said. “Now come on. I want to go to the upper level and see if I can get some pictures.”

  Miles snapped photos with his phone, and they lounged together until the boat returned to its dock. They stopped for dinner at a roadside diner, where nearly every dish had cheese in it, and they laughed together about what a nightmare the state would be for someone who was lactose intolerant.

  It was late evening by the time they got back to Starlit Lake. The house was quiet and dark, no cars in the drive, no lights in any windows. For the chance to stay there one last night, Gavin had volunteered to take care of closing the house up until the family made a final visit over the Columbus Day weekend. He and Miles stripped all the beds, and Gavin ran a couple of loads of laundry. He cleaned out the fridge while Miles packed up his equipment and loaded it into his SUV.

  Most of the beds in the house at Starlit Lake were twins or doubles. As Gavin emptied the dryer, he made up the beds, saving the queen-size bed in the blue bedroom on the second floor for himself and Miles. He figured he had enough time in the morning to do a last load of laundry and wipe out all signs he and Miles had shared the room.

  Once he’d finished everything, it was nearly midnight, and he walked down to the studio. The room was empty of everything Miles had brought, and seeing the space as just another room in the big house gave Gavin a pang of sadness.

  Miles sat on the bed with his laptop open. “Come look at this,” he said, motioning Gavin over.